Youth Worker | St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We are seeking an enthusiastic, motivated, and compassionate Youth Worker to join the vibrant and well-functioning Play Team at St George’s Hospital. The post holder will focus on supporting young people aged 11 years +, particularly those experiencing complex emotional, social or mental health challenges during their hospital stay. This role combines direct 1-to-1 youth work, small group sessions, and partnership work with clinical teams to help young people manage the challenges of illness, treatment and transition, and to promote positive health outcomes and wellbeing. You will join a friendly, skilled and supportive team where professional development and reflective practice are highly valued. You will be supported by senior play and psychological therapies staff, with access to regular supervision and CPD opportunities. We welcome applicants from a range of youth work, community, or health backgrounds, especially those with experience supporting young people facing adversity or mental health challenges. For an informal discussion please contact Dr Zoe Berger, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Head of Paediatric Psychological Therapies, on T: 0208 725 2214, Zoe.Berger@stgeorges.nhs.uk To provide skilled, evidence-based youth work support to young people (aged 11 – 18 years) within acute and outpatient paediatric settings, promoting emotional wellbeing, resilience and positive engagement with healthcare. The role will include individual work, group facilitation and the development of a hospital youth forum. The post holder will work as part of the Play Team, under the clinical governance and supervision of the Paediatric Psychological Therapies Service. Please see main job description and person specification. St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC). After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce. At GESH we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process. Main Duties and Responsibilities Clinical / Therapeutic To work primarily with children and young people 11 + years experiencing difficulty in managing hospital admission/procedures, using evidence based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions. Plan, deliver and evaluate individual and group youth work interventions tailored to developmental, emotional and social needs. To use knowledge and understanding of child development to contribute to assessments and overall, long term care planning. Support young people in managing the impact of illness, treatment, and hospitalisation. Liaise with medical, nursing and psychology teams to integrate youth work approaches into care planning. To monitor, evaluate and modify interventions in order to measure child’s progress and ensure effectiveness of care planned. Provide early intervention and support for young people presenting with distress, risk or mental health needs, escalating concerns appropriately. Support young people to access community services and continue progress post-discharge. To support children, young people and families or carers under stress and in crisis. Participation and Engagement Develop, lead and sustain a Youth Forum of patients and siblings aged 11–18, promoting youth voice and co-production in service improvement. Facilitate regular feedback opportunities for young people to share their experiences and influence service design. Communication and Record Keeping To establish effective communication, both verbal and written, with all members of the multidisciplinary team in child health and in other departments of the hospital where children and young people are treated. Maintain accurate, timely records in line with Trust policy and information governance standards. Communicate effectively with young people, families, and professionals using age-appropriate and trauma-informed approaches. Promote awareness of youth work and adolescent engagement across the hospital. Leadership, Supervision and Training Provide guidance to students and colleagues on youth engagement and adolescent development. Participate in the supervision of students on placement (e.g. play specialists or student nurses). Engage in supervision, reflective practice and CPD in line with Trust and professional standards. Service Development and Governance Contribute to service audits, evaluations and quality improvement initiatives. Support the development of youth-friendly environments and resources within paediatric areas. Participate in Trust-wide youth participation networks and events. Professional Responsibilities and Professional Ethics Work within the NHS values and Trust safeguarding policies, maintaining professional boundaries and confidentiality. Respect and respond sensitively to diversity in culture, faith, gender, sexuality and disability. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of child development, safeguarding, and adolescent mental health. To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and their families, and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs. To demonstrate the ability to reflect on ethical issues and to provide guidance to junior staff as necessary. Management To prioritise own caseload in accordance with individual and service needs. To ensure effective planning and safe running of youth forum sessions. This advert closes on Thursday 18 Dec 2025 #J-18808-Ljbffr